Every year, two signs tell me spring is on its way: Tim Horton’s Roll Up The Rim To Win promo and the emails I get from students about to graduate and looking to break into PR.

I try to acknowledge every note (though some fall through the cracks or end up in spam…sorry).

I’ve written a few posts here, here and here highlighting things I’m looking for when I meet a new practitioner.

In the past couple of weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to talk to students and I wanted to share my 2011 advice:

1. Start building your online network early. But you don’t have to be everywhere. Pick several social media sites that fit with your personality and get active on them to show potential employers how you think. Follow people you’re interested in meeting on Twitter, read their blogs and comment if you have something to say. Interact with us. It’s called public relations and it’s up to you to initiate your relationships.
2. Do a Google search of your name to find out what comes up. If that’s not what you want us to see, create content that better reflects who you are and what makes you unique. That takes intelligence, creativity, passion and time.
3. PR people are great at telling stories in words. However, YouTube is the second-biggest search engine and we need to express ourselves visually too. That means understanding and knowing how to produce and edit videos (and podcasts), set up and manage blogs, newsrooms, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, etc. As the profession evolves these skills will be essential. Hopefully, PR schools begin integrating them into their programs soon!
4. While PR is evolving some things don’t change: good judgment, ethics, strong writing, creativity, organization and smart business thinking.

Good luck entering the profession.  We’re excited to welcome you!

About Martin Waxman

Martin Waxman, MCM, is a digital communications strategist. He conducts AI research, leads digital and social media training workshops and speaks at events across North America. He's co-founder of two PR agencies, president of a consultancy and has worked in the industry for nearly 30 years. Martin is a LinkedIn Learning instructor, teaches digital strategy and social media at McMaster University, the Schulich School of Business, University of Toronto SCS and Seneca College. He's a member of the Institute for Public Relations Digital Media Research Center and a past-chair of PRSA Counselors Academy. He has a Master of Communications Management (MCM) from McMaster-Syracuse Universities.

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